Coupling for lead-covered electric cables.



PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

J. J'.- DossBRT.

GOUPLING FOR LEAD COVERED ELEGTRIG CABLES. PPLIUATION FILED .11.11.19, 1904.

s., Mm l JOHN I. DOSSERT, OE NEW YORK, N.

. v To DOSSERT a COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF cable to a suitable terminal.

bines .with the coupling set'iorthin the prior applicapressible ring.

Covered Electric Cables, of

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR, RY DIRECT y AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, NEW YORK.

COUPLINGr FOR LEAD-,CVERED ELECTRIC CABLES.

` Application filed January 19,

DossERT, a citizen ofthe i United States, and a resident of N ew York, county ,of l New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gouplingsrior .1I/leadw'hich the following-is a specification. I *I I In Leners' Patent No. 779,469, dated June Io, 1905, I have shown and described a coupling device ior electric cables, the particular'device disclosed in the said application being designed for joining two parts oi a stranded electric cable,\or joining one 'end of such a In' the present application I shw and describe a device which is particularly designed for joining the ends of lead covered cables such as are commonly used in'the underground work. l

So far as the stranded cables, or parts oi cables, are concerned, the present invention makes use of the same sort of coupling device as was described yin the earlier application. "The improvement described herein comtion another coupling designed to join the ends offthe lead sheathing orunderground cables in such amanner as to make the entire joint simple, strong, compact, f durable and easy of manipulation.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure'l is a partly sectional view of my coupling as applied toa lead covered cable; Fig. 2 illustratesl one end of a conductor which may form part of such a cable, showing the said conductor at one stage of the coupling operation; Fig. 3 is a cross section of one of the conductors looking towards the. sheath coupling. Fig. 4 illustrates an enlargement oi one ofthe (insulating joints illustrated a mode and Fig. 5 is\a plan view of a com- In Fig. l I have shown a cable cqmposed oi three conductors, 1, 2 and 3, each of the said conductorsbeing itself provided with strands; shown at 4, 4. The main conductors 1, 2 and 3 are illustrated as being connected with suitable couplings, 5, 6 and 7, respectively. The coupling 5 is illustrated in section, and shows the 'strands 4K4 and alsothe core, 8, of the said conductor. The structure at the adjacent ends oi .the lconductor is identical, and the corresponding parts are represented by similar characters. Y

. `Referring nowto the coupling 5, .which is-shown in section, it will be seen that the said coupling is composed of two end portions, 9, 9, and an intermediate portion, 10. The end portions are adapted to be slipped over the^stran s 4i, 4, and are each,provided with a shoulder, 11, which extends inward into comparatively, close contact with the strands. Inside the section 9, 9 are rings, l2, 12, which also fit closely over Specication of Letters Patent. I

nection can now be made between the strands. In coupling the parts, the strands `at the Patented 6, 1907." 1904. serein. 189,764.

end of the cable are laid bare and the coupling section 9 isA placed over the end and/also' the ring 12, after which the/strands are spread by any suitable tool until they Aoccupy the position illustratedin Fig. 2. A compressible ring, strands are pressed down again into contact with the core around the compressible ring 13. The parts are now ready for the application of the central coupling piece, 10,1it being understood that the latter is provided at each end with an external screw-thread adapted to engage with`the internal screw-thread on the coupling, 9, 9. By rotating the end coupling sections, a lfirm coni the end and intermediate coupling sections,` by which process good electrical connection is madebetween the said couplings and the strands and also between the strands themselves and theiry respective cores. When the act'oi coupling is completed, there exists a adjacent Iends of the conductor and the electrical continuity is also good. In other words, the strands being pressed closely against the core` and the rings l2 being firmlypressed against the bulgingportions of the strands caused by the presence of the compressible collars, 13,

13, there is a completev and good connection from the end of one conductor to that of the adjacent con-y ductor. r

The cable made up ofthe three conductors l, 2 and?, is generally surrounded by an insulating sheathing 14, and this in turn is covered with a sheathing, 15, of lead or other compressible material. i I

It will be understood that several couplers, 5, 6 and 7, are insulated from each other by suitable 'wrappings or windings of insulating tape so that no cross circuits shall take place between lthe' said coupling sections. One such wrapping o`r winding is illustrated in Fig. 4,

as being applied to one of the couplings. 1 Before the several conductors are coupled as already described, thesections oi my new coupler. are slipped over the ends ofthe sheathing 15, one suc section being Shown at 19 and the other at 21. These sections are screw-threaded at theirfadjacent ends and are adapted to lengage each fother for which purpose said coupling sections are substantially polygonal in cross scction, as shown in'Fig. 3, in order that they may be readily fitted with a wrench or Spanner for screwing theml into position. And when thus assembled they strong joint between the 13,4'is then slipped over the' core, and the are adapted to be closely incased and held against rotay "tion, by a locking sleeve 24 which is likewise of similar design in cross section as said coupling members. The end.' of the coupling section 21 fits closely around thc sheathing 15 and is flared orlmade conical on its inner side for a purpose which will be presently explained.

=The end oi the section J19 is. adapted to surround a sleeve `17 havinga shoulder, 30, and'having its inner end flared'or cone-shaped like the inner end of the section 21. The coupling sectionv 19 is also provided with a.

l i shoulder 20, corresponding to the shoulder 30 on the sleeve and is adapted to be pressed against the saidy shoulder when the coupling sections are joinedby being screwed together.

joined together is spread by driving into place between the said sheathing and the covering 14 a con'e shaped or flaring piece7 16. It preferred the spreading may be accompilsheld by means ota special tool suited for the purpose, and the cone shaped or flaring piece 16 may afterward be inserted in position. This cone-shaped piece'may be a compressible collar such as a split ring although it is obvious that any kind of a compressible ring may beused. i

When the `collars are inl place, an enlargement is formed on the end of each portion of the cable. and

vupon screwing the coupling sections together the inner end o-the section 21 and also the inner end ofthe sleeve 17 are pressed firmly against the enlarged por: tions and are prevented from passing any further. It

is clear that as the coupling sections 19 and 21 slide toward each other as they are screwed up, the Weight ot the cables or conductors 14 is suflicient to prevent rela.

tive movement ofthe adjacent ,cable ends and furnish a resistance which Will result in the said coupling sections 19 and 21, clamping the ends of the sheathing l5 andthe rings 16 firmly in place. At the same time firm mechanical connection is made'betWeenl the several parts of the cable and this connection is practically Water and gas tight and at the same time can easily be disconnected for making repairs or for any other reason.

ItWill be understood that thecoupler which more particularly constitutes the subject of the present application may be combined With any type of coupling:

devices for the several conductors forming the cable. vIt will also be understood that the present coupler is applicable@J to cables Which are, formed oa single stranded ponductor or a single lead dovered Wire With interposed insulating material.

In using the term lead covered cable in the presi' The sheathing 15 at each o/.the cable ends tofbeA mony, althoughbrass orothe'r `mat`erial may be enimay be utilized for formingthese coupling sections.

I claimas my inventionzv l. A mechanical connection for electric cables having sheathing spread at their adjacent ends, comprisinga coupling applied to said cable, said coupling having compressiblerings Within the spread ends of the sheathing, inter-engaging: coupling sections, said compressible rings being independent of the coupling sectionsand'means mov able relative to Asaid rings whereby the ends of the sheathing may impinge against said rings. f)

Y2. The'combination with electric cables covered with sheathing spread at their adjacent ends, of a coupling applied to said sheathing and comprising compressible rings lying Within the spread ends ofthe sheathing, said comengaging couplingsectins, and means whereby the ends of the sheathing may be compressed against said rings, and a locking device for and inclosing the coupling sections.

3. The combination with electric cables covered with coupling,r applied to the sheathing and comprising compressible rings lying Within the spread ends of the sheathA ing, polygonal-sided inter-engaging coupling sections; said rings being free from engagement` with ysaid coupling sections, means whereby the ends of the sbeathings may be compressed against said rings, anda locking device engaging the sections of the coupling for securing the latter.

4. The' combination with electric cables having a pluby asheathing, said sheathings being spreada-t their adjacent ends, an independent and stationary compressible ring around each set of said conductors and Withinthe spread sheathing, inter-engaging coupling section/s, said sections surrounding the sheathings and adapted to impinge said sheathings against the 'compressible rings when said sections are assembled. d

5. The combination with electric cables having ay plurality of conductors, each set of said conductors covered by a sheathing, said sheathings being spread at their adjacent endspcompressible and stationary rings around said 'cables andwithin the spread sheathing, polygonal-sided `coupling sections connecting said cables and providing,r a chamber for said conductors, said coupling sections com prisingtwo inter-connected membersengaging the sheathing and adapted to impinge the same against said com- JOHN J. DOSSERT.

Witnesses: l Wai; H. Carni., 1

.GEORGE/H. S'rocrmnrDGr-r,

ployed. In some instances non-metallic compositions pressible rings being independent of the coupling inter-' soft metal sheathing spread at their adjacent ends, pf a.

rality of conductors, each set of said conductors covered pressible rings, and a polygonal-sided sleeve for locking; A 

